Susceptibility pattern of Escherichia coli from urinary tract infections to antibiotics and methanol extracts of Olax subscorpioidea and Sida corymbosa

Abstract

Antibiotic resistance in urinary tract infections (UTIs), of which Escherichia coli causes about 80% of cases is on increase, causing mortality, morbidity and increased health care costs. Clinical isolates of E. coli (13) from UTIs were tested for susceptibility to standard antibiotics and extracts of Olax subscorpioidea and Sida corymbosa. Methanol extracts of the plants were screened at 20, 40, 80 and 100 mg/ml against the isolates using agar-welldiffusion method while antibiogram was determined by Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of the plants` extracts and two antibiotics were determined by agar dilution method. The isolates were mostly susceptible to ofloxacin and 100% resistance to augmentin. Extracts of the plants showed good and dose-dependent activities, even on the multidrug resistant E. coli isolates. The zones of inhibition of the extracts ranged 9-16 mm while the MICs ranged 0.5-10 mg/ml on the isolates. This study has shown that MDR E. coli in UTIs are still prevalent and that the roots of O. subscorpioidea and stem of S. corymbosa extracts have good antibacterial activities against the isolates. The results justified the traditional use of the plants to treat infections generally and the potential utilization in the treatment of UTIs. Keywords: Urinary tract infection; Antibiotics; Escherichia coli; Olax subscorpioidea; Sida corymbosa